TCRG Updates

Please click here to read An Investigation into the Pathomechanism and Prognostic Markers for Predicting the Outcome of Patients with Moderate and Severe Aortic Stenosis with or Without Intervention

Infective endocarditis (IE) remains a formidable clinical challenge. It affects 3–10 peopleper 100,000 annually, with a 30-day mortality rate of up to 30%. The incidence of IEhas risen due to advancements in cardiac care, including the increased use of intra-cardiacelectronic devices (CIEDs) and interventions for structural heart disease. The InternationalCardiology Societies underscore the importance of…

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Check out this image showing a summary of our publications in 2024!

In this paper we discuss the relevance of continuity equation based aortic valve area (AVA) calculation as a robust parameter suitable for accurate grading of aortic stenosis (AS) irrespective of flow conditions. Combining the AVA based grading and echocardiography-based staging, can provide with the most comprehensive clinical assessment of patients with AS and preserved left…

TCRG Success story 2024 When a pure and simple research finding becomes a clinical reality – an example of a success of translational research from the Department of Cardiology MKUH. With great pride I am happy to share that our correction factor (CF), to improve transthoracic echocardiography derived LVOT area, therefore SV and AVA measurements…

Please see a recent research letter on the subject of Perivascular inflammation and the coronarymicro-circulation and vasoreactivity — a potential clue to angina with non-obstructive coronary artery disease. The full letter can be read here.

Long-term outcome of contemporary stress echocardiography has not been systematically assessed. Please see the attached review that has the objective to evaluate the association between results of stress echocardiography and patients’ outcomes with suspected coronary artery disease using randomised controlled trials.

A 55-year-old woman with a 3-day history of abdominal pain and vomiting was admitted to our hospital. 7 days earlier she had a subtotal gastrectomy for poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma—stage T2N1M0. 24 h after admission, the patient was transferred to the cardiology ward for the management of chest pain associated with a raised high-sensitivity Troponin I…

Cardiac electrical biomarker (CEB), an indicator of ischaemia-induced change in myocyte polarity, has been proposed for diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome. However, effect of coronary occlusion on CEB has not been demonstrated. Click here to read the full article.

The latest achievement of our research group is the involvement in the National guidelines by British Echo Society on Contrast echocardiography. Ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) has been well established as a safe, cost-effective, and reliable imaging toolfor detecting heart disease. UCA is an essential component of echocardiography laboratories, it reduces the need for additional downstream…

Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) offers detailed assessment of the presence of coronary atherosclerosis and helps guide patient management. We investigated influences of early CTCA on the subsequent use of preventative treatment in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. Read the full investigation here.

Echocardiography is an effective tool for diagnosing cardiovascular disease. However, numerouschallenges affect its accessibility, including skill requirements, workforce shortage, and sonographerstrain. Continue reading the full article by clicking here.

Arrhythmogenic-cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited heart disease with right, left,or biventricular (BVACM) involvement based on EKG, imaging, family history, andgenetic testing. We present a 64-year-old woman with prior myocarditis and diagnosisof BVACM 29 years later. We propose myocarditis as a promoter of gene expression ofplakophilin-2 mutation. Please click here to read the full case report.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume is a marker of visceral obesity that can be measured in coronarycomputed tomography angiograms (CCTA). The clinical value of integrating this measurement in routine CCTAinterpretation has not been documented. Please click here to read the full publiation.

We present assessment of chest pain patients by multiparametric dobutamine stress echocardiography to differentiate inducible ischemia with obstructive coronary artery disease and with no obstructive coronary artery disease. In addition to the classical regional wall motion abnormality, we illustrate how coronary flow velocity reserve by Doppler echocardiography assists diagnosing coronary microvascular dysfunction. Please click here…

Wearable devices could be used to continuously monitor vital signs in patients who are hospitalized, but theyrequire validation. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical validity of the prototype of a semiautomated wearable wrist device (ChroniSense Polso) to measure vital signs and provide National Early Warning Scores (NEWSs). Read the full study by clicking here.

A 36-year-old man presented to our hospital with a 2-week history of palpitations in the context of 3 months of a dry cough, weight loss, and night sweats. The patient had no medical history, no recent foreign travel, and no contact with anyone who was unwell orwho had been exposed to tuberculosis. He had no…

We are pleased to advise our latest case report has been published on the BMJ. We wish to raise awareness of the triad of life-threatening complication of ICI therapy that accounts for 30%–50% of fatal complications. Please click here to read the report on the BMJ.

The latest publication from the TCRG group is now available. It looks at how we can distinguish Type 1 from Type 2 Myocardial Infarction by Using CT Coronary Angiography. Please take a look via this link.

In patients with stable chest pain, computed tomography (CT) plaque burden is an independent predictor of future coronary events. The purpose of this study was to determine whether plaque burden and characteristics can predict subsequent death or myocardial infarction in patients with acute chest pain. Please click here to read more.

A new article is available to read on the European Heart Journal. The aim is to evaluate the potential associations between presentation cardiac troponin and the clinical impact of early computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) in intermediate-risk patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. Please click here to read more.

There is a new publication available to read. The full title is The Role of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Emergency Department: The Case of a Contained Rupture of the Ascending Aorta Due to Type A Dissection Causing Subacute Cardiac Tamponade. Please click here to read.

And the story goes on… After describing the “correction factor” derived from 400 CCTA images to improve accuracy using the echo based continuity equation in AVA and SV measurement (URL: https://lnkd.in/gFEK9QzD) – we have now published the outcome data to show its utility in the reclassification rate and associated 5-years all cause mortality in patients with…

RAPID CTCA trial shows how non-inferiority of CCTA guided management compares to standard clinical care in patients presented with intermediate risk acute chest pain to ED. Our Research Group as a proud site of RAPID-CTCA- RCT. Please click here to read the full publication on the BMJ.

We are honoured that the cardiology cardiovascular research group has officially been endorsed by The University of Buckingham as a Translational Cardiovascular Research Group at Milton Keynes University Hospital in June 2021.